When Polycom, one of the best-known names in video conferencing and telepresence, warned of weak quarterly earnings yesterday, it raised a red flag for The VAR Guy. Has Polycom (NASDAQ: PLCM) hit a temporary bump, or is there a bigger industry issue here involving soft demand for video conferencing and telepresence solutions?

Cisco Jabber is not a household name yet. But a long-term showdown — involving Cisco Jabber vs. Microsoft Skype — could eventually emerge, especially in the business market where Microsoft (MSFT) and Cisco (CSCO) both compete and cooperate.